GENEVA: Kuwait expressed hope on Monday that the UN Conference for Pakistan support would achieve its desired goals in mobilizing the international community for a flexible recovery of Pakistan from the last devastating floods' repercussions. This came during Kuwait's speech delivered by Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organization in Geneva Ambassador Nasser Al-Hayen during the conference organized by the UN, in cooperation with Pakistani government.

Kuwait hastily provided an urgent grant distributed to the working international agencies and Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority, out of the country's keenness to help deliver the grant to those deserved as soon as possible to meet the basic needs, Al-Hayen said. Kuwait also has contributed to offering support to help Pakistan revive, rehabilitate, build and reconstruct it society, he added.

In addition, he indicated that the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development is working to continue development projects in several fields, including infrastructure, energy, water, transportation and education and others. UN Secretary General Antonion Guterres, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, heads of UN organizations and representative of the UN member states are attending the one-day conference.

Guterres affirmed that "Rebuilding Pakistan in a resilient way will run in excess of $16 billion, and far more will be needed in the longer term". The conference, hosted in Geneva, examines Pakistan's recovery from the climate crisis it underwent last year. Guterres explained that this cost does not only include flood recovery and rehabilitation efforts, but also initiatives to address social, environmental and economic challenges, including reconstructing homes, and redesigning public infrastructure, reviving jobs and agriculture, sharing technology and knowledge with Pakistan, and supporting women and children.

The Secretary-General highlighted the role of women saying, "their efforts are essential to a strong, equal, inclusive recovery. It is crucial that women play their full part, as leaders and participants at every level, contributing their insights and solutions". He called for finding creative ways for developing countries to access debt relief and concessional financing. The UN chief indicated that developing countries, least responsible for climate crisis, are the first to bear the brunt of the impact. - KUNA